


On Little Cat Feet

by NestingHedwig_aka_LinW



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canonical Character Death, Cats With Their Own Agenda, Halloween16 Mini Fest, Implied Slash, M/M, Out of Character, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 06:43:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8522614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NestingHedwig_aka_LinW/pseuds/NestingHedwig_aka_LinW
Summary: In a future where the Battle of Hogwarts ended differently, re-appointed Headmaster Severus Snape has to deal with a series of curious deaths.
Written to the Prompt: A cat and a rat.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N:** A late entry for the Halloween16 Mini Fest at Snape_Potter. It has not been beta read, so all mistakes are my own.  
> There are no Deathly Hallows in this fic, and Snape did not die. All characters depicted herein in adult situations may safely be assumed to be over eighteen.  
>  **Disclaimer: ******This story is based on characters created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers including, but not limited to Scholastic Books and Warner Bros. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended; no monetary gain will be made from this story.

*********  
**...On Little Cat Feet** [1]  
*********  
_Some people say that cats are sneaky, evil, and cruel._  
True, and they have many other fine qualities as well.  
\- Missy Dizick

*********  
**Early October**

Severus Snape was hyper-aware of his surroundings as he magically threaded acromantula silk onto a series of wooden storage bobbins. He stood beneath the large nest Walden Macnair indicated he had cleared that morning, methodically collecting potions ingredients. This nest was far too close to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and far too dangerous, attracting the always curious children. He would have it destroyed once he acquired all that was useful.

Re-appointed as Headmaster after the Battle of Hogwarts, he continued to teach the N.E.W.T. Level Potions classes, leaving instruction of the younger years to Horace Slughorn. Slughorn, like Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, and a few other surviving ancillary staff members, had opted to remain at Hogwarts under the new regime. They stayed in an attempt to protect the students from the Ministry-assigned staff, several of them Death Eaters.

He gripped his wand as the leaves in the underbrush rustled, indicating someone or something in the forest was cautiously moving toward his location. Wand at ready, Severus braced for possible attack. Although Macnair had cleared the nest earlier, there was no guarantee the acromantula were not returning to reclaim their home.

"Rowl."

The tension in the dark wizard relaxed minutely as a sleek black and white cat stepped through the shrubbery.

"Nero," Severus snapped. "What are you doing here? You know the forest is too dangerous, especially for someone as small as you."

"Merow." 

The tuxedo cat wove himself around his wizard's ankles, greeting him. Suddenly, the cat stiffened and hissed. Severus heard the sound of leaves rustling above them. With a quick swish and flick, the basket of collected specimens levitated off the forest floor and the Headmaster/Potions master hooked his arm through the handle. He leaned down and caught Nero by the scruff of his neck, immediately tucking the feline against his chest. As a pair of acromantulas dropped down on either side from the branches above, Severus exercised the Headmaster's ward override protocol and Apparated himself and the cat out of the Forbidden Forest.

Several seconds later, the pair appeared beside Greenhouse No. 3. Nero leapt from his arms and, tail swishing, trotted off.

As Severus waited for his racing heart to settle, he watched a mixed class of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff fourth years file out of Greenhouse No. 2, and make their way toward the school in small groups. Through the glass enclosure, he could see Pomona puttering amongst the plants. He waited until the last of the students disappeared through the great doors before he began to make his way to the castle. The sun was just starting to set.

A plaintive feline howl cut through the quiet of the afternoon.

"Nero?" Severus called out, looking for the source of the howl. The cat surely couldn't gotten himself in trouble in the few minutes they were apart.

"Rowl." Nero appeared at his feet, before darting toward the bank of shrubbery at the base of the castle wall.

"Merowl!"

Severus could just make out a lump of multi-colored fur at the base of a yew. Kneeling on the ground, he peered beneath the branches. He could see Mrs. Norris lying on her side, her fur darkened with blood. Nero rubbed his face against the elderly feline, offering comfort. Severus gently pulled her out into the open so he could examine her injuries.

"Severus?" Pomona called out, tentatively.

"Someone or something has attacked one of the cats."

*********  
Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank ran a diagnostic charm over the injured Mrs. Norris. The current Gryffindor Head of House as well as the Care of Magical Creatures professor glanced over the top of her spectacles at Severus.

"She has been kicked, repeatedly, by...someone...wearing pointed-toed boots. Two of her ribs are broken and several more are cracked." She spelled the _Essence of Dittany_ and a diluted _Skele-Gro_ into the feline's prone body. "This isn't the first time she's been attacked since Argus Filch was mur..."

Wilhelmina abruptly clipped the word, suddenly realizing that the wizard standing at her elbow bore the Dark Mark. "...since Argus passed on."

"She will recover?"

"Yes, Headmaster...until the next time."

There was so much more the witch wanted to say, but she kept her tongue. Unlike others, she bore Severus no ill will. Early on, she had realized that not only did Severus intervene in the more egregious detentions assigned by the Death Eater and Pro-Ministry "professors", he also appeared to dance on the same fine line all the Neutral and Light staff did.

"I will...remind...Madame Lestrange that she should exercise extreme caution whilst walking among the pets. First Year Edwina Montague's familiar does bear a striking resemblance to Mrs. Norris. It would be...unwise...if she made a...miscalculation."

Wilhelmina realized that Severus would not turn a blind eye to the abuse, and her opinion of him rose. He was harsh, and his tongue occasionally cruel, but he wasn't sadistic. She turned her attention back to the injured cat.  
Severus' cat, Nero, strode into the C.O.M.C. classroom and placed a field mouse at the toe of his boot.

"Merow."

The middle-aged witch tried to fight her smile, but could not. When Hogwarts had fallen to the Death Eaters, many of the fleeing children were forced to abandon their pets. It had caused no small amusement when the green-eyed, black and white cat immediately attached himself to the severe wizard, giving Severus absolutely no say in the "adoption".

"Rowl."

Severus glanced at the cat and the gift of a field mouse, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling it always caused. He knew enough about felines to know that the gift was a sign of affection, but Nero seemed to have the worst timing. He often wondered if the public presentations were deliberate.

"I am certain that Mrs. Norris appreciates the mouse, Nero." Severus felt foolish talking to a cat in the presence of another adult. "But I don't think she will be up to eating it for awhile."

Nero batted the hem of Severus' robes with his single white-socked foot before leaping up first to a chair seat and then to the tabletop. He nestled beside the drugged Mrs. Norris, as if to comfort her, protect her, and keep her warm.

"It is nearly dinner time, so I must depart. Thank you again for your assistance with the cat." Severus paused at the doorway. "When you see Walden Macnair again, tell him the acromantula nest he cleared out this morning needs destroyed."

"This morning?" Wilhelmina replied, puzzled. "Macnair didn't clear any nests this morning. He's been at the Ministry all day."

"Indeed." Severus' eyebrow rose. So Macnair had lied to him. Interesting.

Wilhelmina watched Severus stalk away, his robes billowing dramatically. Macnair had obviously set the wizard up for attack, but the real question was, by whose orders? Perhaps being ousted as a spy also meant you could trust no one to watch your back.

She turned back to Mrs. Norris, running her hand over the soft, warm fur.

"I know you keep searching for Argus, but he's gone now and can't protect you any longer. Why don't you stay with me, old girl, and we'll see if Severus can control Mad Bella's vicious tendencies."

*********  
Wormtail crept along the castle walls, hiding in the shadows. The rat animagus listened into a range of conversations, hoping to hear an exciting tidbit or two to pass on to the Dark Lord.

Bellatrix was obviously even more unhinged than usual, carrying out some personal vendetta against the Hogwarts cat population, but that was not the kind of information likely to please Lord Voldemort. Privately, Peter Pettigrew was cheering her on. While the wizards and witches at the school were unaware of his presence, the cats and owls were not deceived.

The rat trailed after Severus and Horace, hoping to hear a hint of insurrection. Even after the fall of the Light, no one really knew where the Headmaster/Potions master's loyalties lay. Wormtail crept closer to the pair, but they seemed to be discussing O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. lesson plans. His silver paw clicked on the stone floor, too soft for human hearing, but it drew the attention of an unwanted predator.

Nero stalked behind the Not Rat, his bottle green eyes narrowed in concentration. He pounced, but Wormtail was too close to the stone wall. The rat slipped through Nero's claws and took off down the corridor. Nero pelted after him, drawing the attention of the two potion brewers.

"A perfect example of the food chain in action," Horace chuckled. "I anticipate little Nero dropping another rodent gift on your toes soon."

"One can always use fresh potion ingredients," Severus replied. He was distracted by something he had caught out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't certain if it was a trick of the light or not, but something seemed to glitter on the fat rat's front paw.

*********  
_When my cats aren't happy, I'm not happy. Not because I care about their mood_  
but because I know they're just sitting there thinking up ways to get even.  
\- Percy Bysshe Shelley

**Early-Mid October**

Severus stood in front of the head table, surveying the hastily assembled students and staff as they filed into the Great Hall. It was exceedingly rare for classes to be cancelled midsession. Usually important messages were delivered during one of the three assigned meal times, so the summons was worrisome to many. The students became even more agitated when they spied several stone faced Ministry officials from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and a trio of red-robed Aurors standing beside the head table. 

Cups of hot chocolate laced with a mild calming draught appeared in front of each student, courtesy of the house elves. Severus tapped a goblet with the edge of a knife blade to draw their attention. His glare caused late arrivals to scurry to their house tables.

"Settle down," he ordered. Thanks to the acoustics of the room, his voice carried to the corners of the hall. The hall, usually abuzz with conversation, was unnaturally silent.

"There have been rumors circulating about a death at Hogwarts. I am sorry to inform you that the rumors are true." Volume in the hall rose, but glares from the Headmaster and Heads of House quelled the voices. 

"Shortly after breakfast, the Ministry of Magic's High Executioner, Walden Macnair walked into the Forbidden Forest to destroy several acromantula nests that were too close to the greenhouses. We are uncertain why he chose to enter that dangerous situation alone, but he was attacked and killed by those very same arachnids."

The hall took on a dull roar as the students reacted to the news. While no one especially liked Macnair, the threat of attack by the large spiders was very real.

One of Pomona's students, a third year Ravenclaw, had noticed two large acromantulas spinning a cocoon of spider silk around what she thought might be a thestral or small unicorn due to its size. A Slytherin noticed the Executioner's axe resting against the base of a tree. Horrified by what she saw, Pomona barricaded her students in the greenhouse and sounded the alarm.

"Silence!" Severus waited for the hall to quiet down again. "As you can see, we have brought in reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic to help us deal with the acromantula infestation. Due to the danger the nests present, we will be erecting wards around the perimeter of the school to prevent any more attacks or infiltration. I would caution all students to secure your pets in your common rooms until this crisis is over. 

"Professor Grubbly-Plank is requesting a few N.E.W.T. Level Care of Magical Creatures student volunteers to help her erect pens on the school grounds to temporarily house our small herd of thestrals. Their colts, especially, face danger of attack by acromantulas , and must be brought out of the Forbidden Forest to safety. Once the thestrals have been rescued, experts from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures will enter the forest to assess the situation and create a plan of attack.

"Classes will be canceled for the remainder of the day. Under no circumstances are students to leave their dormitories until this crisis is over." Severus surveyed the house tables, his gaze resting the longest on the few remaining troublemakers. "Food and beverages will be sent to your common rooms. And, before any of you decide to ignore my orders and look for your wandering pets and familiars instead, don't. You will not like the repercussions if you are found out of bounds." 

The dark wizard looked out onto the sea of young faces as the prefects checked that no one was missing. He briefly wondered whether Nero was safely inside the school or was chasing rodents across the lawn. Once he dismissed the children, he would send the house elves out to collect any stray pets. Especially a certain tuxedo cat and his elderly sidekick.

"You are dismissed."

The irony of Macnair's death by a creature escaped no one.

*********  
Ignoring Bellatrix's irritating presence, Severus took a fortifying sip of strong coffee, liberally laced with whiskey. The members of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures were still in the Forbidden Forest. Having swiftly determined that the acromantulas had spread too aggressively and needed to be thinned out and/or destroyed, they were awaiting reinforcements. 

Bellatrix was sulking, which never bode well for anyone within hexing distance. Not knowing that Severus had directly informed Lord Voldemort of Macnair's death _prior_ to notifying the Ministry of Magic, she had thought to undermine Severus' status by Apparating to the Dark Lord to share the news. He had not been pleased to have her interrupt his delicate negotiations with a Welsh vampire clan and then provide only "second hand" information. Her body still trembled from the aftershocks of an extended _Crucio_.

"Severus," Deputy Headmaster, Filius Flitwick spoke softly, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation. "Will there be...ramifications...due to Macnair dying on Hogwarts' soil?"

"No. HE is angry, but not at us." Severus heard Filius exhale in relief. He glanced over the head of the diminutive Charms professor to ascertain where Ministry and Death Eater staff were situated. "It was no secret that the acromantula were breeding out of control. In the past, Hagrid, the unicorns, and the centaurs always kept the population in check, but that failsafe has not been in place since they were driven out of the forest nearly three years ago.

"As High Executioner, Macnair should have assigned teams from the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to bring the Hogwarts acromantula nests down to an acceptable level. He should have brought in other Ministry experts or hired magizoologists, if necessary. Macnair did not do that. He decided that only he was expert enough to deal with the infestation, and, that is what has angered the Dark Lord. Due to Macnair's... arrogance...HE has lost his Executioner."

*********  
_A cat's rage is beautiful, burning with pure cat flame,_  
all its hair standing up and crackling blue sparks,  
eyes blazing and sputtering.  
\- William S. Burroughs

**Mid October**

Bellatrix swept down the darkened Hogwarts corridor, her stiletto heeled, silver tipped boots clicking on the stone floor. It was an hour past curfew and she was hoping to find a student or two out of bed. Her fingers itched in anticipation.

The torches were not usually lit on the upper floors after the children were in bed, so she needed to provide her own light.

" _Lumos._ "

The glow at the tip of her wand created a circle of illumination around her. She could see glints of metal from the suits of armor and the wall sconces as they caught the light. She also saw the infrequent reflection of the tiny eyes of field mice or rats near the floor. Nasty vermin, she thought, casting a curse that caused them to squeak and scatter.

As she walked past the opening of a third floor staircase, many more of the shining eyes appeared. These ones were larger, and appeared to be of varying heights. Taking a few more steps, she caught the shadowy outline of several cats.

Bellatrix smiled cruelly and let out a crazed giggle. She could practice her aim on the little nuisances, Severus Snape's words of warning be damned.

" _Lumos Maxima._ "

A bright light erupted from her wand tip, and she startled as it momentarily blinded her. She blinked, stunned at what was before her.

Bellatrix had assumed that there would be three or four cats, but she found herself surrounded by almost forty cats and kneezles, pretty much all of the adult felines residing at Hogwarts. They were on the floor, the staircase handrails, and perched on every available flat surface.

"Merow."

"Rowl."

"Meow."

"Hiss."

The cats did not scatter. They hissed and arched their backs. They began to swarm around her, entangling her feet, pouncing on her, claws hooking into her skirts. If she kicked one away, two others would take its place. A dark hex on her tongue, she swished her wand, just as a cat clawed up her back and over her shoulder. She saw a blur of black and white before the beast leapt at her wand arm, knocking the thin wooden stick from her fingers.

The light faded as Mrs. Norris batted the wand over the top edge of the staircase, the stick clattering as it rolled down each step. Wandless and nearly blind in the dark, Bellatrix was at a decided disadvantage.

"Hiss."

"Merow."

"Rowl."

"Meow."

"Hiss."

The cats continued their attack as the mad witch tottered on the thin base of her stiletto heels. She took a step forward, and tripped over a feline. She took a step to the side, into nothingness. Off balance and teetering at the top of the staircase, she flailed. Her arms were outstretched, trying to feel for a railing to support herself.

And the cats, nocturnal creatures that they were, had no difficulty seeing in the dark and continued to harass her. 

The witch's heel slid off the edge of the step and snapped. Pitched forward, she desperately fought for solid footing, but only found air.

A blood curdling scream shattered the pitch black night, followed by the sound of moans as her body rolled down the stairs. It ended in a sickening crunch.

The cats disappeared as quietly as they had arrived.

*********  
Mrs. Norris lifted her hind leg, intending to urinate onto Bellatrix's prone form, but she was interrupted by the gentle nudge of Poppy Pomfrey's slipper clad foot.

"Oh, no you don't, you naughty little cat," Poppy's voice was direct. "Shoo!"

The cat sashayed past the Mediwitch, the picture of innocence, pretending she hadn't been prevented from venting her final revenge on the corpse. Mrs. Norris picked an out of the way spot to bathe herself. She needed to get all the sticky blood off the pads of her feet. She was soon joined by Nero and several other cats.

Severus slowly descended the blood stained steps. He paused, bent over, and retrieved Bellatrix's wand. He cast a brief, suspicious glance at the group of cats before meeting the Hogwarts Heads of House, most of them in their nightclothes.

"Can you tell what happened?" Pomona asked, her loose hair a tangle of knots.

"Another death at Hogwarts. This is not good." Horace cast an uneasy eye down the corridor.

"Should I contract the Ministry?" Filius asked, pulling his bathrobe closed against the night chill. "Or has someone already done so?"

"No, there is no reason to draw unnecessary attention to the school if it can be avoided," Severus answered. Parents were still sending Howlers about the acromantula infestation and the intolerable threat it presented to their offspring. If the Dark Lord hadn't made attendance mandatory for all Purebloods and Halfbloods, many parents would have withdrawn their children long before. _The Daily Prophet_ was having a field day skewering the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, the Ministry of Magic, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hogwarts did not need additional negative publicity. 

"I have notified both her husband and the Dark Lord. He said to leave it up to Lestrange to determine if he wished to call in the Aurors or not."

Rodolphus Lestrange strode into the corridor, his steps faltering for just a second as he spied his wife's crumpled form. He knelt beside her body, careful to avoid the coagulating pool of blood. His fingers toyed with one of her wild black curls.

It was strange, he thought, that instead of grief at the loss of a woman he had been married to over twenty years, all he felt was relief. Truth be told, he had never wanted to marry her, fearing that the madness running through House of Black would pass on to his heir, but his father coveted the political power the merger of the families provided. Azkaban had done her no favors. It had tipped her madness into insanity.

"Snape." The dark wizard looked up at the Headmaster/Potions master. "Did she fall or was she pushed?"

"Lestrange, I am sorry for your loss." Severus squatted down on the other side of the dead witch. He presented Rodolphus his dead wife's wand.

"I don't need empty platitudes." Rodolphus glared at the assembled staff. "You know as well as I do, she was a mad, demented bitch and is not likely to be mourned. What happened to her?"

"I spoke with several of the portraits along the staircase, and their stories seem to corroborate one another. Unfortunately, there were no other witnesses. According to the portrait of Archimedes, who had the best view, your wife was in the middle of her nightly patrol and the light from her wand startled several cats. From his perspective and with the poor lighting so late at night, Archimedes is not certain if she tripped over one of the cats, or if she caught the heel of her boot in the hem of her skirts. She was too close to the top of the staircase, and when she lost her balance, there was nothing for her to grab on to. The fall snapped her neck."

"If it is any consolation to you, she did not suffer," Poppy said, gently.

"An accident." Rodolphus rubbed his hand over his face. "Falling down the stairs...it's not how Bella would have wanted to die. There's no glory in that. You're absolutely sure she wasn't pushed?"

"There are no signs that it was anything but a horrible accident. Do you want me to contact the Ministry and have them launch an investigation?"

"No. They're idiots, the lot of them. Her fall was probably caused by those fucking boots, anyway." Rodolphus indicated the stiletto heeled boots peeking out from the hem of her skirt, one with the heel snapped off. "Her and those fucking boots...If she'd just worn sensible shoes, this might not have even happened."

*********  
From his vantage point, hidden behind a tapestry, Wormtail watched Poppy levitate Bellatrix's corpse to the infirmary where she would bathe her and make her presentable for burial. Rodolphus nodded his head toward Severus, and followed the Mediwitch.

Wormtail was gleeful. Whoever would have thought a group of domesticated cats and kneezles would be organized enough to pull off such a vicious act of retribution against the sadistic witch. He had witnessed the cats murder the witch and suspected that Severus had edited the information the portraits had provided. Whether or not he had lied to Rodolphus about it being an accident was open to interpretation. The question was, was this information he needed to share or was it potential blackmail material?

The rat waited until all of the staff slowly drifted back to bed, leaving Severus staring at the bloody mess. The dark man summoned a pair of house elves to clean the staircase before the children woke up in a few hours. Wormtail wondered if there would be an announcement about the D.A.D.A. professor's death, or if they would sweep it under the rug. Hogwarts reputation was still reeling from Macnair's death. 

Obviously, the curse against the Defense Against the Dark Arts position was still in effect, he mused.

Wormtail left the safety of his hiding spot, intending to follow the procession to the Infirmary. So intent on gathering damning information, he did not notice the quartet of cats milling about.

*********  
Nero smoothed back his fur with his paw. Now that the excitement was over, he was ready for a nap. As he began to saunter toward the dungeon and his bed, his nose twitched.

He smelled Not Rat. He turned his head, looking around, green eyes peering into the shadows.

"Merow."

Wormtail realized he had been discovered. He bolted out of the shadows, and down the corridor. The cats followed, crying out for reinforcements as they closed in.

*********  
Severus looked over the desk at the four Heads of House as they met for an early after breakfast meeting. He was exhausted, having been up the entire night sorting out the debacle created by Bellatrix's unexpected death. The only good news was that it was the weekend, and that they would have several days to regroup. After the meeting, Severus planned to attempt to get a few hours of much needed sleep.

"Well, I must say," Pomona yawned, widely. She planned a nap as well. "That was a rather diplomatic announcement in the hall this morning."

"I regret to inform you that Madam Lestrange will be unable to continue teaching...it is a perfectly ambiguous statement." 

Severus ignored Wilhelmina's hissed 'perfectly Slytherin statement' as he rolled a full vial of _Pepper-Up Potion_ between his fingers. For once, he had no plans take it, but had brought it in case one of the other professors required a dose.

"I have sent a meeting request to the Hogwarts Board of Governors for Sunday afternoon to discuss the open D.A.D.A. position. If you are agreeable, I thought to suggest the Board appeal to the Ministry of Magic Auror Corps to temporarily assign us one of their sidelined Aurors. Both Dawlish and Kirtland are on permanent desk duty due to their missing limbs. I am certain either one would jump at the chance to feel useful again."

"You want Dawlish to teach the children?" Pomona was scandalized. Dawlish was widely known to occasionally engage in non- consensual liaisons with witches of little political standing. And the abuse of his position of authority within the Auror Corps prevented his victims from filing official complaints.

"I'll be the first one to tell you I don't particularly like Dawlish, but he's still better than someone like the Carrows or Dolohov. At least with him we can have the elves secretly douse his food with impotence potions, if necessary." Filius responded, tiredly rubbing his eyes. Who would ever think he'd ever consider Bellatrix Lestrange to be the lesser of evils?

"I will mention both names to the Board, but give the opinion that, while Kirtland's disability is more severe, his...temperament...might be better suited to teaching children. And since several Board and Ministry members have daughters, granddaughters, or nieces currently attending Hogwarts..."

"In the meantime, what are we going to do about the Defense classes?" Horace asked. "If we combine the mixed Slytherin/Hufflepuff and the Ravenclaw/Gryffindor classes into a single class, it will still leave seven classes to cover. I could pick up one year, but I don't know that any of us can pick up two."

"Hopefully, we can get the position filled by the end of the week. If it remains unfilled for longer, I can take on the N.E.W.T. Defense class because the time does not conflict with N.E.W.T. Potions. I can, possibly, pick up one of the younger years as well. None of you have openings in your timetables for either of the O.W.L. Defense classes, so Irma Pince has volunteered to take on the fifth years. However, we will need to close the Library while she is teaching. But, for at least this week, we will just cancel the Defense classes and give the children an additional study period. Are we in agreement?"

The professors nodded.

"Is there anything else to discuss?"

"Well...two cats were brought to me early this morning with severe bruising to their ribcages. One of the cats had a broken rib." Wilhelmina hesitated. "The injuries were surprisingly similar to the ones Mrs. Norris suffered last week."

"And?" Severus arched an eyebrow.

"We have surmised that Bellatrix Lestrange died when she tripped over a cat...but...is it possible that she actually might have died because she was kicking that cat?"

"Oh my," Filius chuckled. "Wouldn't that be a bit of divine...or should I say...feline retribution?"

*********  
Severus ended the staff meeting. As the professors filed out of the Headmaster's office, Nero and Mrs. Norris sauntered into the room.

"Well, looks like you've been adopted by another one." Horace's booming laughter rang out as Mrs. Norris, not Nero, dropped a fat rat at Severus' feet.

Severus secured the door behind the amused professors. Nero, Mrs. Norris and the rat waited patiently beside a second door leading to the Headmaster's private bedchambers.

Severus scowled at the cats as they crept into the room. He warded the door against intruders. His arms crossed, he glared at the pair.

"Well...what do you have to say for yourself? Do you have any idea what trouble you have caused?"

The cats returned his gaze. Mrs. Norris placed her paw on the rat, looking rather pleased with herself.

"Merow." Nero purred. His bright eyes bore into Severus' much darker ones as his bones began to painfully elongate and twist. His form swiftly morphed from that of a green-eye cat to that of a green-eyed man.

Harry Potter sat on the floor, his eyes twinkling in amusement as he stared down the glowering older wizard. Mrs. Norris climbed into his lap, and with claws carefully sheathed, proceeded to pat his cheek with her paw. Harry scratched between her ears. The feline shared an obvious affection for the cat animagus in either of his forms.

"What in Merlin's name were you thinking, Harry?" Severus hissed. He was still glaring at the younger man. "Do you have any idea what killing Bellatrix will mean to the school if the truth ever gets out? Don't you think for one minute that the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures won't euthanize every cat and kneezle at Hogwarts if they realize they've been trained to hunt in a pack?"

"No one is going to look into it, Severus," Harry scoffed. "Rodolphus Lestrange doesn't give a damn his wife is dead. Do you think he's going to go into mourning for her? That anyone else is? I don't and you don't. His insane wife is the reason he's lost more than a quarter of his life to Azkaban and the Dementors. He needs to make up that time lost. Lestrange desperately needs an heir, so he is going to track down the first sane witch of childbearing age he can find and get on with his life. Or do you actually think Lord Mouldy cares enough to look into it?"

"Probably not. But why did you do it? I know she kept tormenting the cats...but was it worth the risk? And whatever possessed you to involve the school's cats?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that I wasn't the one who instigated the attack?" Harry scratched the purring Mrs. Norris under her chin.

"You can't possibly mean..."

"Bellatrix kept torturing her. Bellatrix kept hexing all of the cats...but even more than that...Bellatrix murdered her human." Harry rubbed his cheek against the top of the cat's head and spoke into her fur. "And Bellatrix murdered my humans, too."

"It was still a foolish risk." Severus sat on the edge of his mattress, his hands resting in his lap.

"Kettle Black, Severus." Harry met his gaze. "I'm not the one who _Imperiused_ Walden Macnair and then sent him into the Forbidden Forest with orders not to raise either his wand or his axe."

At first Severus' face was impassive at the accusation, but then his lips twisted in a little smirk.

"So, two death Eaters dead with no suspicion falling on either of us. Brava. But that's the least of our worries right now." Harry pushed forward the body of the rat and met Severus' eyes. One of the rat's front paws was encased in silver. "Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail. Did you know he was skulking around Hogwarts?"

"No."

"I don't know how long he's been spying on you in his rat form, but Nero became aware of him earlier this month. He's been stalking a Not Rat for several weeks now." Harry often referred to his animagus as another entity because he did not retain all of his humanity or personality while in cat form. "Wormtail would disappear for a few days, so I can only assume he was reporting your activities to..."

"The Dark Lord," Severus said, woodenly.

"And you have to wonder if Macnair set you up on his own or if he was acting under orders..."

"Not the sharpest knife in the block."

"No. Anyway, Pettigrew as Wormtail witnessed the cats kill the bitch, but he didn't get the chance to change back into a wizard before we caught him. I wish I could have captured him alive so we could have interrogated him...but...Mrs. Norris did as a cat does."

"A third Death Eater has now died at Hogwarts."

"And the beauty of that is, there is no way it can be traced back to you. You had no idea Pettigrew was even at the school. No one but you even knows I didn't die during the Battle of Hogwarts. No one, not even Ron or Hermione, knew I had achieved an animagus form. And...no one but you knows that I am Nero."

"And by now, everyone at Hogwarts knows Nero has a long history of presenting me dead rodents." Severus thought for a moment. "But someone would notice if you presented me a rat with a sliver paw, wouldn't they?"

"Slughorn didn't. He's the one who commented on Mrs. Norris gifting you this rat. And, honestly, how often do you really examine a dead rat?" Harry climbed to his feet.

"Look." Harry scratched at the stubble on his jaw. "I've been stuck as a cat for weeks now. I really need a warm bath and a warm bed. Are you interested in helping me warm that bed?"

"Oh, yes." Severus chuckled, darkly. Perhaps he would ingest a dose of _Pepper-Up_ after all. He wrapped Wormtail's body into a handkerchief and tucked it into a pocket. "Just let me dispose of the evidence somewhere beyond the castle walls. I'll be back in time to scrub your back."

*********  
_Some people say man is the most dangerous animal on the planet._  
Obviously those people have never met an angry cat.  
\- Lillian Johnson

**Late October - Saimhain**

From a distance, Wilhelmina could see the light of the bonfire and hear the staff and students observing Samhain rituals in the crisp clear night sky. Traditionally the commemoration of the end of the harvest and the beginning of the spiritual new year, Samhain was also a Festival of the Dead. Some believed that the barriers between the living and the dead were thinnest this time of year, so this night was a night many a witch or wizard sought to contact a dead loved one.

With only Nero as company, the witch walked farther away from the celebration. She walked along the shore of the Black Lake with only the stars for light. Carrying a small cloth wrapped bundle in her arms, Wilhelmina paused to examine a grouping of trees surrounding a narrow inlet. She strode toward a thicket of trees and paused, making certain they had not been followed. Stepping into a small clearing, she placed the bundle on the ground beside three stacked stones.

Nero lay beside the bundle and yowled. Wrapped inside it was his companion, Mrs. Norris. Death had claimed the elderly feline early that morning. She had gone quietly in her sleep.

Wilhelmina enlarged a shovel she had hidden in her robes and began to dig a hole large enough to bury the cat beside the unmarked grave of Argus Filch. Although many would think it improper to bury a pet beside a human, she knew it was something both Argus and Mrs. Norris would have wanted.

Tortured and murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange for the crime of being born a Squib, the Death Eater bitch refused him a proper burial. The Hogwarts Caretaker had been dumped in the Forbidden Forest for animals to devour. Once night fell, Wilhelmina removed Argus' body and buried him on the school grounds without anyone the wiser. To this day, only she and Nero knew where the hidden grave was located.

Nero lay on the freshly dug grave and felt utter loss. The small bit that was still human inside of the cat animagus wished that proper words could be spoken over both of the graves, that flowers could be left for remembrance, but it was not to be. His paw touched the two flat stones that had been placed as a marker. It was all they could offer

"Come, Nero," Wilhelmina called. "We'll need to return to the bonfire before anyone realizes we are missing."

*********  
In quiet contemplation, Severus gently stroked the fur of the tuxedo cat curled up in his lap. Around him, the witches and wizards celebrated Samhain, but his mind was far away. As many also spent the night in personal reflection rather than merriment, no one bothered the stoic man.

They had gotten away with the deaths of three Death Eaters, but there was no way their murder spree could continue without drawing unwanted attention. Macnair and Lestrange were viewed as victims of unfortunate accidents, so no one found their deaths suspicious. And Pettigrew was just...missing. The man had always been a coward, and had previously hidden as a pet rat for years, so everyone assumed he had finally had enough of catering to the whims of Lord Voldemort and had disappeared once again.

And if the Dark Lord searched Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for any signs of the missing animagus, he had done so discretely. It wasn't as if HE could publicize he'd misplaced one of his spies to the residents of the school. 

The flames of the bonfire were dying down as the first pink streaks of dawn began to light the November sky. Severus, with Nero at his heels, joined a procession of stragglers back to the castle. His mind, cleared from its previous chaos, was now at rest.

He and Harry would keep their options open. Now that they knew there had been, and would continue to be, attacks against Severus, the pair would soon need to decide whether they should stay to protect Hogwarts, or if they should flee to the safety of another continent. 

As paranoid as the half insane Dark Lord was, it was a surprise to no one at Hogwarts that there would be spies hidden amongst them. Only a fool would not watch their own back.

And if the opportunity to take out a Dark Lord ever presented itself, Severus was fairly certain they were up to the task. But for now, all he wanted to do was crawl into a warm bed with Harry.

~FIN~  
*********  
[1] **Fog**  
by Carl Sandburg  
_The fog comes_  
on little cat feet.

_It sits looking_  
over harbor and city  
on silent haunches  
and then moves on. 


End file.
